Sunday, May 4, 2008

Set the Table-Tea is On!

Gracious Hospital-i-tea Blog-a-thon question of the week: Share a creative afternoon tea table setting. Linens, serving pieces, teapots and teacup, tea accoutrement's and accessories, centerpieces, tea trays or three-tiers, and more. Show one way you enjoy creating a memorable tea experience. This is your opportunity to show the world the fun you have when you create your own special tea experience. Then. . .invite over a friend or neighbor and share some tea together. That way all your work is not for ought.

Since I have been hosting Jane Austen tea parties the last six months, I always want to make each one unique but I still manage to follow a formula that really works.

I like to make a menu of the tea and I print it in Jane Austen font, of course! I always have it displayed on the first tea table. I usually serve tea and scones while we watch the selected Jane Austen movie of the month. After the movie, we move into the dining room for a high tea. Since I like to have a lot of friends over (about 8-9) I usually have to set up 2 tables. Each table has a 2 tiered server, fresh flower arrangement, and a pot of tea. I also like to give my friends a little party favor. For the Pride & Prejudice movie, I gave them a paperback copy of P&P. I wrapped it in brown paper and tied it with vintage seam binding and added a sprig of pine. I didn't use any tape. (I wanted it to be somewhat authentic). For the Bridget Jones's Diary movie, I gave them a Mr. Darcy (with Colin Firth ) keyring and for Sense & Sensibility, I gave them individual tea packets with Jane Austen tea inside. I packaged it in small cellophane bag and then cut scrapbook paper to fit the bag. I printed "Have a "cuppa" on me" and then I sewed it shut on the sewing machine.

For the "Lucky Tea" when we played P&P game, right before St. Patrick's Day, I gifted my friends a ceramic tea bag holder with shamrocks on it.

What a beautiful tea table! I feel right at home looking at it, as I also have Old Country Roses as my favorite china. Your tea favors --- plain paper tied with vintage binding --- are beautiful! Thanks so much for sharing your pretty idea --- and for all the great ideas on other posts you share.

Lovely! Lovely! Lovely! I want to be your friend! :) I can't seem to find anyone around here who actually likes Austen. How is the P&P game? I've seen it advertised, but haven't heard what others think of it. BTW- I've not seen Bridget Jones. How does it relate to Jane?

Bridget Jones's Diary is a modern take on P&P scaled down. Bridget has no sisters but a questionable mother and father. I like the first one more than BJD 2. "Clueless" with Alicia Silverstone is a modern take on "Emma". Very cute!

Oh, how delightful! Your tea setting is so beautifully detailed and the pictures capture a wonderful tea time! I like the idea of your party favors with the Jane Austen tea sewn in a cellophane bag, etc. Do you have picture that you could share? I would love to see it!

I would just love to sit at your table and pretend to be Caroline Bingley and say one of my favorite movie lines, "Her hair, Louisa!"

I'm so fascinated by your Jane Austen teas and your elegant creativity. I didn't know that people like you actually existed, but I'm so glad you do and I'm so glad you choose to share what you do on your blog so others can partake of it too- even if just from a distance.

About Me

Hi! My name is Donna and I live in Southern California with my husband and 3 great kids. I own a Children's Party Planning business-Party Wishes! I cannot let a day go by without doing something creative. I always have tons of projects going on such as painting a bench for the backyard, embellishing my daughter's jeans and overalls with vintage textiles or baking brownies with my kids.